Too Late
by cole231
Summary: Jyuushiro Ukitake has just realized that he's always been in love with his best friend. What happens when he finds out that he realized it much too late? One shot. Jyu/Shun Shun/Yumi


_I Love Him._

The realization hit Jyuushiro Ukitake like a bag of bricks. Sitting here speaking to Nanao had been a little too enlightening for his own good. It was frightening to concieve of. Ever since he'd begun to watch the disease flee his body after he'd been healed during the Winter war by that angel of a man Ayasegawa he'd been having much too many epiphany's. But this, this was the most strange of them all. How did Shunsei's little Nanao, a girl with no real evil intention in the world bring this to his eyes without even saying much of anything? She really just asked how Shunsei had been acting around him. They'd been friends 300 years, how did he not notice how much happier Shunsei had always been around him? How didn't he notice the special smiles directed at him, the kind tones, the way Shunsei didn't even drink when he was around, the soft flirtations. Jyuushiro always just assumed that that was the way Shunsei had always been. He never acknowledge the fact that everytime he was in the hospital he always woke to the smiling face of his best friend. Nanao brought it to his attention though, she asked if he knew how Shunsei felt. But how did she know before he did?

Quickly Jyuushiro excused himself to get some piece of mind. He needed to tell Shunsei how he felt. All this time had gone by and this was how he realized that Shunsei had always felt the same way? It had been so long since he'd wanted something to live for, now that this disease was dying instead of him he was confident that this was the time to express how he felt. Jyuushiro knew that back when they were in the academy he'd had such a huge crush of Shunsei, but he was a womanizer and a bit of a drunk. There was no way that he'd ever be interested in someone like Jyuushiro. The love had always been there but it had been so long since he'd felt that way he just stopped thinking he had a chance long ago. How could he not have known?

Even after last week he hadn't even realized it. Shunsei had showed up drunk to his room and stumbled into his bedroom like a fool. When he said he loved him Jyuushiro had just laughed and brushed the statement off, its not like it was ever the first time Shunsei had told him this in his drunk stupor. 'Yes yes, Shun, you're my best friend. You'll always be now sleep.' He'd said. _Ah, what a fool I am. _Jyuushiro thought to himself. Even then he didn't notice the hurt look in his best friends eyes. He'd just assumed it was because he hadn't said he loved him back like he usually did when Shunsei said such silly things. Jyuushiro just settled down next to his friend and turned his back to fall asleep. The look didn't register until now, it wasn't hurt of a best friend. It was like he'd smacked Shunsei in the face with rejection once again and Jyuushiro was sorry. He really was and now was the time to stop being a fool and tell Shunsei himself.

As Jyuushiro walked to the eigth division he began to wonder how long Shunsei had known. He sighed and thought of how many times he'd told Shunsei he was happier alone. That it would pain him to leave anything behind with this disease, he really didn't know when he was going to die. Honestly he didn't even think he would last this long, if it hadn't been for Shunsei he didn't think he would have. If Shunsei really did love him why hadn't he told him? He'd buried his own feelings for the curly haired man so long ago he nearly didn't even remember ever having them. Shunsei always had the pick of the bunch, how could he be interested in someone like himself? Jyuushiro wasn't exactly the most exciting person to be with. He was soft spoken and didn't like attention, so unlike Shunsei so why would he even care about having someone like him as a lover? It was a simple answer, he wouldn't, that's why they worked so well as best friends. They always had, so why would he get the idea that Shunsei liked him now? This matter could be resolved sensibly, so that is what he had to do. Jyuushiro loved Shunsei and for once he wasn't going to let his own insecurities stop him from telling the other man. He was going to walk right in there and tell his best friend his feelings, and ask, no demand to know if the feelings would be returned. If Shunsei let him of course. Jyuushiro groaned and knocked quietly on the door.

Jyuushiro sighed and walked into the unlocked office, not very surprised to find it empty. He could feel his best friend was somewhere around here so he decided the first place to look would be outside where his reatsu could be felt the strongest. Jyuushiro swore inwardly as he felt someone with Shunsei and began to plot ways to get them to leave so they could talk alone. Knowing Shunsei he was probably just sitting around drinking with one of his subordinates.

But what Jyuushiro saw made his blood freeze and he felt a stab to his heart at the scene before him. Lying in a bed of flowers were two writhing figures in the dead of the night. Moans drifted to his ears and Jyuushiro took in what he was seeing. He could tell the figure on the ground was Shunsei by the way his curly hair fanned over the ground around his head but the figure ontop of him is what upset Jyuushiro the most. The first reason was because it was a boy, Jyuushiro was so dumbstruck that his Shunsei was fucking a boy. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was a woman but to see him having sex with a boy and he had never even made a distinct pass at him? Unforgivable. Plus the fact that the boy was only dressed in Shunsei's pink robe was another strike. Jealousy pinched at his heart once again as he watched the boy lean further down and capture Shunsei's lips in a passionate kiss. Shunsei's finger's thread through the medium length black hair and tugged back to reveal the face of…Ayasegawa-kun! Jyuushiro nearly threw up seeing his own student bouncing freely ontop of his best friend. Ayasegawa's hands came to grip the hand pulling at his hair and Shunsei brought his free hand to his hips and began to pound up furiously.

"Ah, Ah, S-Shun" Ayasegawa screamed and brought one of his hands down to pump at his own erection. As Jyuushiro watched the two fucking he couldn't help but scold himself for being so nosey. Why should he feel betrayed when he didn't even know if Shunsei actually felt the same way that he felt for him? But then again if Shunsei was a womanizer why was he fucking this boy? That said, Jyuushiro knew that Ayasegawa had been madly in love with his own best friend for years. He'd gone to Jyuushiro so many times crying about how Ikkaku had rejected him and called him a fag. But that really hadn't happened in some time, now Jyuushiro knew why. He swiftly turned and flash stepped to his room before throwing up in the trash can.

Shunsei and Yumichika lay panting in the flower bed as they calmed themselves after the intense sex. Shunsei smirked and looked over at the cute face of the sex-god that lay next to him. The boy would do anything just to feel something, sometimes Shunsei felt the same thing. Really they had a good thing going here. He kept his mind off Jyuushi and Yumichika could keep his mind off of Ikkaku. What a great set up. This may have been so wrong to do to eachother but it felt so good he just couldn't imagine stopping. In the beginning he'd always closed his eyes and let himself breath out Jyuushiro's name and pound into the tight little hole below him screaming 'Ikka' at every turn. But recently during their trysts Shunsei had began to wonder how Ikkaku couldn't love someone to willing. Someone so tight and loving, Yumichika really was a brilliant being when you got to know him. He began to wonder how he could get Yumichika to scream his name like that.

"You said my name this time" Shunsei purred as he leaned over to nuzzle his neck to the beautiful mans cheek. He chuckled as Yumichika's nose scrunched up and he dug his head into the bigger man's neck.

"Hmm Shunsei, its so hard not to when I have such beauty staring me in the face" Shunsei felt his heart clench at the smile that kissed against his collar bone. He grasped Yumichika's chin and tilted it upward to capture the raven haired boy in a soft kiss. He couldn't help but smile back at the blush that fled onto the boys pale cheeks, it made him look so vulnerable and delicious.

"You think in beautiful Yumi?" he asked with petulance.

"Of course" the smaller man replied softly, moving his gaze to stare at anything but the man who was infront of him. Eventually it settled on the stars above him and Shunsei for once didn't follow suit. So for a few minutes he lay beside the radiant beauty and watched as he bathed in the light of the moon.

"Hey Yumi" he whispered. Yumichika let a 'hm' out and kept watching above. "I like you yanno"

"I know" the raven haired man whispered and continued to stare at the stars. "I like you too" Shunsei smiled widely and wrapped his arms around the boy.

"Good. You know what I think Yumichika? I think that unrequiented love is a pity. That maybe we should stop thinking so much about Jyushi and Ikkaku and maybe start focusing on something else. Maybe something more satisfying then pain" Yumichika's blush worsened and he hesitantly turned to look into Shunsei's eyes that hadn't strayed from his face since they finished their passionate love making.

"Focus on what exactly?"

"Well maybe we could focus on…well us" Shunsei felt his chest clench as Yumichika's face remained expressionless, just a faint blush fading away. _Damn, shouldn't have said anything. He doesn't want me, he wants Ikkaku. I cant, not again, I just shouldn't have said anything. _He thought to himself and groaned as his head hit the ground and he looked up at the stars. What happened next surprised him, he was grabbed into a very passionate kiss. A few minutes later he pulled away to look into Yumichika's eyes that tears were threatening to fall from.

"Yeah. I'd like that very much" he replied with a smile. Shunsei felt himself smiling back and he pulled the boy into a hug before picking him off the ground and flash stepping back to his room. That night he would make sweet love to Yumichika in every way possible. Love that ended in cuddling and kisses. Neither was embarresed when Nanao burst into the room the next morning. They hadn't even moved when she began to rant about how they both should have been doing their duties at the time of day. Shunsei felt his love grow even more for Yumichika as he wrapped himself around the capitan and argued with the girl. He didn't remember the last time he'd felt so happy, maybe back when he'd first met Jyuushiro and he tried every way possible to get him to love him back. But that didn't matter anymore, now he had a new willing boy to convince of his love and he felt nothing but joy. Afterall, he couldn't wait forever for Jyuushiro to open his eyes.


End file.
